I specialise in creating unique 28 mm scale miniature armies, for Warhammer 40,000, Dust, Urban War and other science fiction games

Sunday, 9 October 2016

More commission work: Space Sharks' Tyberos & Eldar Crimson Hunter

Although I might've been slacking updating the blog, I've been very busy on the workbench! Several projects have been started or finished this week, and I'm working ever closer to completing the large Eldar army that I took on earlier this year...

First up, I finished an incredible Eldar Crimson Hunter. Although there are some Eldar kits that feel as though they've aged badly (or even prematurely!), the Crimson Hunter is not one. The model is sleek, very Eldar, and great fun to build and paint.

I struggled a little to get the model into my photo booth, so forgive the clipped images: suffice to say, this is a big model. It feels both alien and also very much like a jet fighter, and I really enjoyed this kit.

Another view of the main hull:

The engines and rear of the flyer:

A shot of the vehicle pilot and interior:

Another shot of the complete model:

And also the base, with optional accessories so that my client can swap out the weapons or run it as an Exarch or standard Hunter:

This week I also managed to finish off the alternative turret for the Fire Prism/Night Spinner tank that I started a couple of weeks ago. Here's the Prism turret all ready for delivery:

I discussed with my client whether to leave the crystal pieces unpainted, but I thought that they would look better painted up. The crystal at the end of the cannon in particular came out well I think (there's actually nothing much to paint on the other crystal, but it looks unfinished without a colour I feel!).

An interior shot:

Next for the Eldar will be six Windrider jet bikes. They have been basecoated and bases are now drying; I'm about to start the riders today or tomorrow, so hopefully they will be finished soon as well.

On other projects, I also finished the Tyberos conversion I was asked to do for a Carcharodons Astra (aka Space Sharks) army:

The idea behind this conversion came from DakkaDakka, and the original thread can be found here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/386813.page. Credit where it's due, as this is not my idea! I'm also aware that in the Forgeworld fluff, Tyberos is rarely seen without his helmet (and when he was, his face doesn't reflect this conversion!). Those disclaimers out of the way, this is a really nice idea and my client wanted me to replicate it.

So here are the results...

I decided that if I was going to build a Tyberos conversion, it was going to be brutal and horrifying. The head was made with a combination of a Chaos Marauder horseman head and a Chaos Possessed head: I simply cut down the middle, and added the Possessed's lower jaw to the horseman. The pieces were then green stuffed together, and I made the other extra parts to suggest interface components with the Terminator armour.

I've envisaged that Tyberos is badly scarred, perhaps undergoing bionic reconstruction. The right side of his face is particular is badly damaged, whilst his lower jaw is distended and filled with shark-like metal teeth. The eyes, as you'd expect, are cold and black: again, like a shark.

The rest of the piece received some minor weathering here and there, with a Space Sharks decal to the shoulder pad:

And here's Tyberos with the rest of the squad - the "Red Brethren".

That's enough pictures for now: I should be back next week with the finished Windriders...